MINDSETS IN THE CLASSROOM 7

2/26/2017

Greetings Faculty and Staff!
Can Gifted Education And A Growth Mindset Belief Coexist? (Chapter Seven: 85-90, 93-95) is a prickly read, but I ask you to keep an open mind and concentrate on the ideas of "access," "labels," and your "personal philosophy." I want you to read it for perspective's sake and keep it in mind as you read the article Gifted And Talented: We Need A Flexible Mindset below.

Gifted and Talented:
We Need a Flexible Mindset

By Peter DeWitt with Joshua Raymond-AG advocate

I'm 5'6". On a good day. My friend Sam is 6'5". Growing up, we played basketball together in gym class. Sam was great at basketball; I was not. I'm sure his height and athletic frame had something to do with it. His interest and hours of practice did, too.

I probably could have been a good basketball player if I had put forth the effort. But, with less labor, Sam was excellent. He had some natural advantages and abilities that I didn't when it came to athletics.

I couldn't compete with Sam on the court, but the classroom was different. Sam and I usually received similar grades, scoring at the top of the class. I had the edge in natural ability, but Sam worked hard. On the way to school, I would quiz him on his French vocabulary. My Spanish went unstudied. In a physics competition, we tied for the top score. The teacher only had one medal to present; she awarded it to Sam, because he "earned" it. And he had, through his effort.

When I first heard about the growth mindset, I was thrilled. An emphasis on effort, resilience, grit, and recovering from failure? Sounds like what I didn't get in school but definitely wanted for my daughters.

I had done well in school, particularly in math. I skipped two grades in that subject. I was once second in the state in a math competition. Breezed through high school. Stumbled a bit in AP Calculus because I didn't study at all. But then I "cracked down" midway and learned it in two weeks, acing both the class and the AP exam. Other subjects were similar. Almost no studying and projects started and completed shortly before they were due. Easy A's. Thirteen years of cruising, even at great schools.

And then came college. I had no study skills. No grit. Recovering from failure? Failure wasn't in my vocabulary. My intelligence had never let me down before, but now more was required and I didn't know how to give it. I was ill prepared. College was rough, to put it mildly. When I graduated, thoughts of pursuing a master's degree, like my friend Sam was already doing, were not on my mind at all.

But the growth mindset! Effort! Grit! Resilience! That was what I needed! That was what my kids needed!

I soured on it the more I read about it. Don't tell your kids they are gifted? My dad had tried that and I hadn't understood why I easily grasped what other students struggled with. Praise effort? An English teacher had tried that, and I dared not let him know that my perfect grades involved no effort at all; I had fooled him. And then I read this quote by Dona Matthews and Joanne Foster:

One of the most damaging myths has been that some people are born with more intellectual ability than others, and that they retain this competitive advantage throughout their lives. This belief that some people are inherently smart, and some aren't, reflects a fixed mindset perspective. From a growth mindset perspective, however, intelligence develops over time, with appropriately scaffolded opportunities to learn. Ability is not a static attribute of a person. Instead, it develops actively, with motivation and effort. Looked at this way, basic principles of giftedness and talent development apply to all children, not just a select few.

Wow! They didn't understand me at all! Motivation and effort? That wasn't how I succeeded in school. And, from many conversations, I knew that to also be true of other gifted learners.

The fixed mindset purportedly recognizes differences in ability but fails to help gifted students develop the work ethic and resiliency they need. The growth mindset purportedly encourages effort but doesn't recognize differences in ability. Clearly, both have good points and both are flawed. Something else is needed, particularly for students on each end of the ability curve.

What is needed is the flexible mindset, incorporating both differences in ability and growth through effort. The flexible mindset recognizes that students should know what their gifts and disabilities are and learn skills to expand their intellectual capacity. The flexible mindset recognizes that some students will not become proficient even with great effort and will become frustrated with school if required to put in extra effort but still only obtain a C.

The flexible mindset recognizes:

That some students experience a year's growth with minimal effort and that only an educator who challenges them to two to five years of growth will encourage them to stretch their mind muscles.
That there are some students with greater potential but that potential is only a starting point for all students, and all students need to develop grit and resiliency to be successful.
How applied effort is changed by a learner's disabilities and unique talents--and that a student can have both.
That student success is a mixture of ability, interest, and effort.

The fixed mindset fails by being centered around a student's abilities but not encouraging effort or growth. The growth mindset fails by encouraging effort but constraining that effort to a proficiency-based system that moves students along by age and at the same pace. We need the best of both mindsets! The flexible mindset encourages a new system, one centered around the students' abilities and challenging them to exert effort, overcome obstacles, and recover from failure. It is the mindset to move education forward.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2016/04/gifted_and_talented_we_need_a_flexible_mindset.html

INSTRUCTIONS:
Click on "comments" to answer. Number your answers to correspond with the questions. Remember-brevity is the order of the day (or comment on your comment for more space)!

BTs:
1. According to Ricci, what are potential barriers to student participation in "advanced programs?"
2. Based on what you know about Chapter 7, what are the pitfalls of "labeling?"
3. Elaborate on the reason DeWitt's "Gifted and Talented" article is critical of growth mindset philosophies.

Veteran Teachers:
1. What are some ways that Cross Creek Early College breaks "barriers" for all students?
2. Do you treat AG students differently in your classroom (such as expectations of performance, maturity, motivation, potential and/or differentiated levels of learning?) How do AG students at Cross Creek meet your expectations?
3. Based on what you read in Dewitt's "Gifted and Talented" article, what are the potential effects of the Growth Mindset philosophies on AG students? Is it a valid argument, why or why not?

Administration:
1. Using the section "Your Philosophy for Gifted Education" as a foundation, create at least four bullet statements that address the uniqueness of early college titled, "A Philosophy of Gifted Education at an Early College."

2. Read DeWitt's "Gifted and Talented" article and comment on the ideas behind the "flexible mindset."

3. Create a list of attributes (at least five) that describe the most successful students at early college. Do all students arrive with these characteristics? Are they teachable? If so, how and when?

If you have questions feel free to contact me. athetford@edumentality or alisonthetford@aol.com.

In this hybrid book study teachers will earn a total of 12 hours (1.2 ceu's) for reading each chapter, responding to discussion prompts online, and sharing application of ideas. You will be given no later than (NLT) dates for completing chapters.

I want to thank Melissa Storms for giving me much needed help with this study. In growth mindset fashion, I had to experience a little failure in order to become a better blogger.

28 Comments

Julia Little

2/28/2017 02:47:51 pm

According to Ricci, the potential barriers to student participation in “advanced programs” include the following (starting with page 86)
--growing up in an illiterate home
--growing up in a community that does not put a high value on education
--being labelled a nerd, geek, goody-goody, or brainiac
--having the additional pressure of always being on your best behavior, doing well on tests, projects, and grades
--having to be the “perfect student,” the “perfect child,” the “perfect sister or brother.”
--money. It costs to join Duke TIP, or Hopkins Summer Math; or participate in summer Science Olympiad day camps, or find rides to specialized 4H, Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, church based curricula programs, and other extracurricular opportunities
--relativity of the “labelling” where you live and go to school, such as whether you live in rural Mississippi or suburban Cary, NC or Mountain View, CA, where the cohorts of “gifted” labels may have different ranges
--more money. How much does the school district have to test every single student in some manner (standardized testing, one-on-one neuropsychological testing, or another method).
--nonquantitative, subjective, probably-highly biased methods of choosing who receives which label

2. Based on what I have learned in Chapter 7, there are many pitfalls of “labeling,” to include:
--attributing the qualities, talents, abilities, or “gifts” a person has as innate to their DNA and unalterable
--making parents feel bad about their child-rearing and their own genetic pools
--pitting parents against parents for school districts and specific schools, based on reputation
--allowing the label to take over--such as highly challenged students becoming perfectionists and initially low-performing students staying in a low trajectory of achievement
--removing the learning opportunity of failing because of caution
--providing a sense of entitlement, I would say, to both the high potential achievers and to the low potential achievers
--decreasing the rigor of the curriculum for the low potential achievers, with the eventual result of lowering the bar for whole states in their EOC’s and Final Exams.
--starting the labeling, if it is going to be accepted in some form, way too early in a young person’s life, sometimes as early as 1st or 2nd grade.

3. DeWitt’s “Gifted and Talented” article, entitled “Gifted and Talented: We Need a Flexible Mindset,”is critical of growth mindset philosophies. Based on his own experience of most likely being an “outlier,” Peter DeWitt says that his high school experience was not challenging, except for AP Calculus, only because he did not apply himself at all. Personally, I would say that learning a semester of AP Calculus A/B or AP Calculus B/C in two weeks proves Peter DeWitt as an outlier. DeWitt disagrees with the project-based learning approaches, the low bar set for achievement in high school classes, praise for effort that was not effort for him at all, and the growth mindset’s willingness to encourage students and never give up on them without providing enough differentiation. Specifically, DeWitt says, “The growth mindset purportedly encourages effort but doesn’t recognize differences in ability.” He argues not for a fixed mindset or for a growth mindset, but for a flexible mindset, one that incorporates “both differences in ability and growth through effort.”

Alison Thetford link

3/2/2017 10:40:30 am

Hi Dr. Little,

Thank you so much for your blog submission. Your comment, "Personally, I would say that learning a semester of AP Calculus A/B or AP Calculus B/C in two weeks proves Peter DeWitt as an outlier." This struck a note with me as he seems to dismiss the growth mindset ideas based on HIS experiences. Anecdotal evidences are always tricky as it narrows someone's views. In fact, "Flexible Mindset" and "Growth Mindset" beliefs are not far from each other. As a recent blogger reminded DeWitt, "Nowhere in Dweck's work does she imply that ability is strictly a function of effort. Nor does she ever say that innate abilities don't come into play. She is quite explicit about that in her work. She is very up front about their being innate differences. In just about every mindset lecture, she says: "Not everyone can be Einstein. Everyone understands that. What is important to understand is that even Einstein would not not have accomplished what he did without years and years of sustained effort."

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2016/04/gifted_and_talented_we_need_a_flexible_mindset.html

Kelley Hasapis

3/1/2017 02:09:30 pm

1. Cross Creek Early College breaks all barriers in the fact that we accept students based on many different criteria--not just academic criteria such as AIG. We see all students as "high potential learners" regardless if they have the official label or not.
2. Personally, I never look at the list of AIG students in depth. . I know that the list of students is long but I feel that as a teacher at an early college, all studnets should be taught at a high level. Just the fact these students made it into an early college proves to me that they are "highly motivated" and willing to learn. I feel that we provide access for ALL students, not just those with a certain label. I have high expectations for all classes, and I feel that for the most part, they rise to meet these expectations.
3. After reading the article, I feel strongly that if a school is truly Growth Mindset oriented, then the AIG label does not really matter in the large scheme of things. Teaching with a growth mindset intrinsically means that all students are taught with the belief that the process of learning is what is important, not necessarily the grade. If we teach with the expectation that all students can be successful and learn, then all studnets (those labeled and those not labeled) can be successful.

4/4/2017 05:42:08 am

Hi Ms. H,

Thank you so much for your response. I want to know more about your comments from #3. The author really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's!

I believe, as you, that AG students may lack resilience if there are any obstacles or *pain* in learning. What's more important than a label is what/how students are using and exploiting their talents (or sometimes working on their weaknesses) to maximize learning.

Kenny Huffman

3/22/2017 07:52:12 am

1. I think that CCECHS, for the most part, dispenses with the labeling. Labels mean little to me, except for the Early College label. In other words, if you are here, you are one of us, and I am ready to instruct you, regardless of your ability, provided you are willing to take ownership of your education.

2. I do not treat my AG students very differently than the other students. I expect them all to engage in intelligent academic discourse, knowing full well that some will find it more challenging than others.

3. I like the statement "student success is a mixture of ability, interest, and effort." The growth mindset perhaps encourages more effort from the AG student, but I'm not ready to concede that most AG students have the attitude Dewitt illustrates to us. Nonetheless, anecdotally, it serves to make the point. . .

4/4/2017 12:59:19 pm

Hello Mr. Huffman,

Thank you so much for your reply to the blog! Your #2 question's answer is a good one. Expectations of student performance is tied directly to actual performance. Labeling can set up teachers for the *hard fall* (That is, when AG students do not meet academic expectations or when struggling students seem to be a hopeless case). If our school culture cherishes work and I think it does, AG students will strive to "grow" what they have and challenged students, with guidance, will find success as well.

Tamela Rappold

3/25/2017 09:06:02 am

1. Cross Creek breaks barriers by providing a specialized education for the general student body in that our focus is to prepare the whole child for college success. However, because we are blessed with relatively small classes, we can provide for differences in learning styles as well as help individual students close particular gaps in their learning. This is facilitated by having immediate access to technology which not all of the comprehensive high schools have.

2.Yes and no. All students who demonstrate a high level of linguistic competence are not necessarily identified as AG. I try to enrich any student who shows a facility for language acquisition by showing the next step in the current lesson. However, if an “ordinary” student listens in on that mini lesson, I don’t dissuade them from participating. Many AG students meet my expectations but I don’t think of them as a block. Frankly, I’m sometimes surprised at who is identified as AG because I see others who show more promise in class who are not identified. To summarize, I keep that categorization in my mind but don’t let it overrule what achievement or possibility I see in each of my students.

3. I don’t think we should minimize the potential of AG students for the sake of the feelings of the so called regular students. In my opinion there are educational trends that value sameness over making any student feel uncomfortable for whatever reason. However, I agree that the label of Gifted does make many AG students feel as if they have already arrived. Instead they should regard themselves as currently more equipped for the journey. I also have seen this idea of knowing everything already impede their learning. Many AG students are afraid to select the wrong answer on a tutorial website that counts for nothing. Now I understand why. For my content area, I emphasize to students that everyone is on a growth continuum in their language acquisition. A change I have made after this study is the practice of group essays before an assessment. A team of students write a paragraph based on a prompt. I then take pictures of those essays, put them on PPT slides and let those of another class analyze them. The beauty of this technique is that it allows me to emphasize what their peers did well. The students then engage in the polishing of these essays (I de-emphasize the term "correcting") so that they can be the best they can be. Hopefully I’m harnessing in a positive way the propensity of our students to be perfectionists. I want them to strive to do their best but not chastise themselves for errors made in this process.

4/4/2017 01:10:30 pm

Sra. Rappold,

Many thanks for your submission!! All three answers were thoughtful, but I'd like to comment on #1 specifically. "...specialized education for the general student body..." Ricci would be quite impressed, I believe, with our program. As an A+ school, many may wonder how we do it. After all, it's a general student body with most students being first generation. Our faculty does push all students towards higher goals-the AG student as well as the middle-of-the-roader. The professional relationship between student and teacher is also prized. We are not perfect-student or teacher, but somehow I think both groups see this as a special place and will try a little bit harder or keep working a little bit longer to reach goals. Your insight hits the nail on the head. Thank you!

Keno Kerr

3/25/2017 05:35:58 pm

1. According to Ricci, what are potential barriers to student participation in "advanced programs?"

Some potential barriers to student participation in advanced programs are:
i. getting a label attached such as geek.etc..
ii.always having to be good at school work
2. Based on what you know about Chapter 7, what are the pitfalls of "labeling?"
some pitfalls of labeling are:
i. putting added pressure on a child to be the best in school work.
ii. causing children to feel inferior or slow when other students are labeled as gifted.
iii. causing students to feel slow when labeled as such.
3. Elaborate on the reason DeWitt's "Gifted and Talented" article is critical of growth mindset philosophies.
This is critical because with a growth mindset on learn to award effort and not just result. Also having a growth mindset teaches one not to label students as gifted or talented but to encourage students to work hard to achieve success.

4/4/2017 01:15:11 pm

Hi Mr. Kerr,

Your #1 and #2 answers are spot on-and brief! But, I want to know more about your comments from #3. The author really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's!

K. R. McGinnis

3/26/2017 09:23:49 pm

1. CC breaks barriers largely by embracing the warm and the cool - having many people with the hybrid mindsets. Generally, the staff acknowledges that individual people are good at individual things, but don't just give praise for the sake of praise. The praise that is given is earned; the criticism is constructive. Assignments are differentiated and allow for a sliding scale of personal achievement and growth. Again, generally, the so-called barriers are broken because we don't allow labels (such as gifted) to create bias or pre-judging of students. And when those instances of inherent bias or judgment occur, largely, the school works toward breaking those habits of mind. We work toward allowing students, many of whom we will have in class 2-3 times, to drive their own path from class to class, year to year. Because a student was a jerk in freshman year it doesn't mean he or she will be a jerk as a sophomore or junior or senior.

2. I, personally, do NOT treat AIG students differently. I make a personal quest of not knowing which students are AIG and which are not. It becomes a casualty of the field sometimes, though. When there is a field trip or other event for the AIG students, the list comes out and there are names to make note of for attendance records. Other than that, I definitely make a concerted effort to not know who the AIG students are and when I do know who they are, I do everything I can to treat those students as I would any other when it comes to assessment and expectations. I may provide a more challenging, differentiated exercise or activity for the students, but I will still do what I can to treat them equitably. It doesn't always work, but, you know how it goes.

As far as meeting expectations - that's something of a conundrum. I try to not have expectations outside of "deeds, not words," but it's also impossible to have ZERO expectations when aware of a student being "gifted." Sometimes the label does provide for an expectation outside of the realm of possibility for the individual student, but those expectations can be recalibrated on a case-by-case scenario.

3. The argument is a complex one - there was an interview with Carol Dweck by The Atlantic where she addressed these concerns and noted that praise for the sake of praise is not in the idea of the growth mindset. The establishment of a "false growth mindset" actually counteracts the purpose and meaning of the growth mindset. Not all students can have a true growth mindset about all things at all times. Having a fixed mindset is also not always bad. That calls back to the blended mindset at the end of the article.

Regarding AIG students - labels are killer. I have heard numerous times this year from a variety of AIG students that they were terribly disappointed in their performance on a draft of a paper or by getting "low" marks on a report card because "I'm AIG!"

Students who are naturally gifted at any particular thing can become disenfranchised when they see someone do the same thing (let's say, write a research paper) and do much better. Expectations are established by the individual because of being AIG and when their own personal expectations are not met, it truly becomes devastating.

But that's where the growth mindset becomes a real thing - find the right balance of belief, determination, interest, etc., and the goal can be achieved. Many AIG students have some of those necessary areas already in balance, but not all (some, in fact, believe that simply being "gifted" is the golden key to success and miss out on all of the other parts).

Focusing solely on effort is folly, too. Then it really just is praise for the sake of praise without purpose.

Man, Gifted students are just complicated. I like to think I'm a relatively intelligent guy and I couldn't be happier that I was never identified as gifted in school. I didn't want to have that burden hanging over my head. I was just that guy in all the honors classes who didn't have a GIEP. The burden of moderate-to-low expectations.

Also, for those interested, here's the Dweck interview:
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/12/how-praise-became-a-consolation-prize/510845/

I am also aware that I am now blending the three different sources, so, apologies if these answers made no sense.

4/4/2017 01:25:31 pm

Hi Mr. McGinnis,

I appreciate your research and I can feel your pain. As I have mentioned in two other blog submissions, Dewitt really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's! Dweck NEVER
said effort alone will allow students to succeed, nor has she EVER said that inherent ability isn't important. You've also gleaned this from the three sources. Labeling is a killer, in my mind as well, but I think at the Creek, it's good to know for reference, but maximizing learning for all students is the norm. Thanks again for the additional research. Remember, Ricci tells us to *insert* moments of growth mindset mentality at opportune times. Students have been known to learn more on their own, they just need a little help getting started!

Jennison Shields

3/27/2017 01:02:45 pm

1. Cross Creek removes barriers by enrolling all students in a university prep curriculum and honors level classes. Our expectation is that 100% of our students are going to pursue a college degree, so we work to prepare them all for that level of rigor.
2. I don't treat AIG students differently because they are AIG students. I have different expectations for each of my students that is based on my personal interaction with and knowledge of the individual. In my experience the label is pretty meaningless, with some AIG students exhibiting natural talent, others a lot of grit, or some combination of the two. I think this is a valid argument against a pure growth mindset philosophy.
3. I think some AIG students may find ways to "beat the system" if it is all about growth and effort. They will find ways to demonstrate growth without really working too hard, but that happens in any system you set up. I also agree that a flexible mindset covers the best of both philosophies. We need to acknowledge differing abilities/talents while simultaneously fostering perseverance and effort in all students.

4/4/2017 01:41:29 pm

Hey Ms. Shields!

Thank you for your submission. Oh wow, I was hoping someone would bring up the "AIG students may find ways to beat the system." I see it like this that some students (and this is what DeWitt was talking about in the article) will give only enough to convince the teacher that they are proficient and that may include a modicum amount of growth. But where DeWitt thinks this is a fault of the growth mindset model, I believe that it is much more complex. Outlier students may, in fact, possess more knowledge than the teacher. Some AG students are happy at showing what they know, but resist learning when the thinking becomes difficult. Another group are great at being professional students, but struggle in the creativity department. Yet others are completely bored and need more. Whatever the reason, we should be vigilant in spotting potential system-beaters and have solutions in place (as you allude) to allow all students to maximize learning.

Rod Hosking

3/30/2017 09:17:53 am

1. As we take individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences AND by the fact that I usually almost never know who is AG or not, Cross Creek Early College High School breaks that barrier. We also only offer Honors classes which clearly shows our expectations of all learners.
2. I do not treat AG students any differently. I usually am not fully aware of that label most of the time. Since I can not attest who is AG for the most part, I can honestly say I am unaware of how they measure up to expectations I do not have. Now, I have expectations that come with teaching an Honor's class. Those are the same expectations for all. Using what you know of your students ability, their interest, and effort, I will then have expectations and many of those have been met with resounding pleasure whilst others not-so-much pleasure.
3. I think the general nature of the article clearly delineated the problems with labels and the mindset models. I did like what it promoted at the end which was a flexible mindset set on helping all maximize their inherent abilities through effort, interest, and ability. I have NEVER been a fan of labeling students whether it be AG or EC. Once that label is applied, students, parents, and, to a far lesser degree in my opinion, educators may stop working towards academic and intellectual betterment. One of my favorite quotes has always been this one by Richard Bach, "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours." Labels limit everyone involved. The bigger question is not how we treat people differently or what are expectations are for them, but why do we even have them in the first place.

4/4/2017 05:03:02 pm

Oh Mr. Hosking, thank you very much for your submission. Your #3 answer is a great one! Do you think that this is one of the reasons why CC is so successful- most teachers do not pay attention to the labels given? As I have read through the blog submissions, I have noted again and again that our teachers do not focus on labels. Teachers teach. Students learn. We have high expectations here and I think that our general attitude that *work* is what you do at Cross Creek is part of the reason why there is success. Thanks again!

Alexis Howard

3/31/2017 08:41:48 am

BTs:
1. According to Ricci, what are potential barriers to student participation in "advanced programs?"
According to Ricci, the conclusions that barriers exist to student participation in "advance programs," is because there is a preconceived conception of giftedness that focuses only on abilities that have been developed, not those that could potentially develop.

2. Based on what you know about Chapter 7, what are the pitfalls of "labeling?"
One of the major pitfalls of labelling them, is that we are setting them up to think this is a permanent label. It is our job as educators to instill the growth mindset in our students, that is they believe, that with enough hard work, they can achieve. By categorizing these students, we are also putting a lot of pressure on the "high flyers" and not enough credit to the "low achievers". It is important to praise excellent worthy work, but we should not paint them into a box by doing such, because also in life, there will be many times we will fail, and need the growth mindset to pick us back up, so we can readjust and do better. If we also fail to encourage the low achievers, they will also be painted into a box that "they cannot do anything, and their life will not amount to anything." There are many people who have started off as "failures" with the odds stacked against them, that ended up changing the world and hugely impacting society.
3. Elaborate on the reason DeWitt's "Gifted and Talented" article is critical of growth mindset philosophies.
The main thing that we need to focus on, based off of DeWitt's article "Gifted and Talented" is that in order to achieve the growth mindset, we essentially need to harvest a better atmosphere of praising the effort behind the work, as opposed to the final product itself. Again, like I mentioned in the question prior, not every student is going to be the "high flyer", but that does not mean their sincere level of hard work, should be valued any less. As long as they try their best, we should foster positive reinforcement that they should keep up the hard work. They will not be able to grow, with negative reinforcements continually beating down on them.

4/4/2017 05:12:58 pm

Hey Ms. Howard,

Thank you for your blog post. I think your first answer about potential hits the proverbial nail on the head! But, I wasn't quite sure where you were going with answer #3.As I have mentioned to a few others: I want to know more about your comments from #3. The author really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's! Dewitt is very (almost frenzied) critical of the growth mindset philosophy!! Yes, there are a few people that seem to wish the growth mindset ideas away. DeWitt is one of them.

Jane Merritt

3/31/2017 12:17:39 pm

1. What are some ways that Cross Creek Early College breaks "barriers" for all students? I believe that CCECHS breaks barriers because classes here are taught to an honors level for ALL students.

2. Do you treat AG students differently in your classroom (such as expectations of performance, maturity, motivation, potential and/or differentiated levels of learning?) How do AG students at Cross Creek meet your expectations? No I don’t treat AG students differently; in fact sometimes I shocked to discover some students are AG

3. Based on what you read in Dewitt's "Gifted and Talented" article, what are the potential effects of the Growth Mindset philosophies on AG students? Is it a valid argument, why or why not? Due to the fact that Growth Mindset focuses on effort, AG students will often put forth enough effort to make a certain grade instead of challenging themselves. I did like the idea of flexible mindset versus growth or fixed mindset.

4/6/2017 06:17:52 am

Hi Ms. Merritt,

Thanks so much for your submission. Isn't it interesting that all teacher answers are very similar and although the chapter focuses on AG, I wonder would the answer be similar with the students who have IEPs? Of course, we follow the IEP, as directed by law, but if our expectations are high, no matter what, and we assist when needed, do we have a *magical* formula for success?

The key, I believe, is the *work* ethic at Cross Creek and this follows the growth mindset idea beautifully.

As for #3, I am going to copy and paste (as I have done previously) the heart of the piece:

"Dewitt really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's! Dweck NEVER said effort alone will allow students to succeed, nor has she EVER said that inherent ability isn't important."

Thanks again!

Patsy Patrick

4/3/2017 05:39:27 am

1. "A Philosophy of Gifted Education at an Early College."
• Opportunity for an accelerated high school curriculum based on the student’s effort, persistence, hard work, and motivation.
• Curriculum that is driven by the FIVE R’s for every student—Respect, Rigor, Responsibility, Relevance, and Relationships.
• All students have the opportunity to earn college credit beginning in 9th grade.
• Early College offers a challenging environment and believes you will succeed with effort, persistence, hard work, and have the motivation to thrive while earning college credit.

2. “Flexible Mindset”

I understand the concept of “flexible mindset” stated in the article. As an educator we must be like a rubber band, flexible and stretch without breaking. Students can be challenged no matter what their capabilities are and I believe we as educators need flexibility to address those both a fixed and growth mindset.

3. Attributes of successful students at early college would be:
• good attendance
• evidence of both formative/summative assessments (average/above),
• persistence
• time management skills
• good study skills
• be prepared for class (the “due” date is not the “do” date).
• Respectful
• Hard worker
Most of the students entering the early college program DO NOT arrive with the skills needed for success. Our teachers and support staff must take the lemons and make lemonade.

4/6/2017 06:27:51 am

Hello Ms. Patrick,

Thank you for your blog submission. Your philosophy for gifted education was comprehensive. When I look at the list, it suddenly came to me that your philosophy pertains to all students at the Creek. Perhaps that is why we are so successful-that we constantly message to all levels of learners that excellence is what we do at Cross Creek!

About the article, it was written to condemn the idea behind the growth mindset movement. Indeed, DeWitt scoffs at the ideas behind it and feels it does a disservice to the AG student. But, as I have said to many of the faculty (and I shamelessly copy and paste):

"Dewitt really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's! Dweck NEVER said effort alone will allow students to succeed, nor has she EVER said that inherent ability isn't important."

Your list of adjectives was thoughtfully produced. Thank you.

Gina Hickle

4/3/2017 12:18:10 pm

1. Using the section "Your Philosophy for Gifted Education" as a foundation, create at least four bullet statements that address the uniqueness of early college titled, "A Philosophy of Gifted Education at an Early College."

*Access to rigorous curriculum to challenge students and build academic confidence
*High school teachers who believe in each student’s potential for success
*Tutoring and instructional support provided to allow for repetition and practice with concepts
*ACR courses required each year to foster academic responsibility and reinforce strategies for learning and success

2. Read DeWitt's "Gifted and Talented" article and comment on the ideas behind the "flexible mindset."
Very pleased to see that a mid-point exists between displaying a growth or fixed mindset. Prior to reading this article, I was conflicted in recognizing how emotionally damaging a fixed mindset is, but not being fully satisfied with all the tenets of having a growth mindset either. I fully agree with this idea that we don’t have to plant ourselves at either extreme to help students.

3. Create a list of attributes (at least five) that describe the most successful students at early college. Do all students arrive with these characteristics? Are they teachable? If so, how and when?

Motivated, Responsible, Mature, Resilient, Inquisitive
Not all students arrive with these characteristics, but many have a foundation that can be built upon to further develop these attributes. They are all teachable to different degrees by giving students opportunities that require use of these characteristics and providing consistent and valuable feedback. This should be done all throughout their educational career.

4/8/2017 06:38:48 am

Hi Ms. Hickle,

I sincerely thank you for your blog submission.

Your bullets:
*Access to rigorous curriculum to challenge students and build academic confidence
*High school teachers who believe in each student’s potential for success
*Tutoring and instructional support provided to allow for repetition and practice with concepts
*ACR courses required each year to foster academic responsibility and reinforce strategies for learning and success
was comprehensive and meaningful. I believe your #2 and 3 bullets are so important in the recipe of student success. As I mentioned to Ms. Patrick, this list is perfect for all levels of learners. Perhaps that is why CC is successful, labels are secondary to the work at hand.

I loved the way you struggled with the mindset philosophy. I have as well and although I see DeWitt somewhat of an elitist in his thinking- I also think he (of all people) misunderstands Dweck's ideas. She NEVER said effort alone will allow students to succeed, nor has she EVER said that inherent ability isn't important. In fact, what DeWitt calls the flexible mindset is really Dweck's! But that is o.k. because it gives us reason to challenge the ideas of growth vs fixed.

Loved your descriptors and I have seen plenty of students that may possess just one. So what makes our program successful? I attribute it to the constant drum of high expectations, good teaching, and care for students.

Thank you again!

Milagros Rivera link

4/5/2017 08:05:30 pm

1. How or in what ways CCECHS breaks barriers?
Our school is well recognized for an accelerated program of study.
When we get together as a faculty and we go over the applications to the school, there are multiple qualifying factors for accepting students into our accelerated program. We do not accept students based solely on grades. If that would had being the case all our students would inherently receive A grades in all their subjects and we know that this is not happening here.
We offer Honor classes and the common expectation is for all our students to participate. All our teacher are willing to help our students learn and we offer tutoring to all and anyone who needs it. I personally stay to tutor at any time I am asked.

2. Pitfalls of labeling...
I know that we have many AIG students in our school, but I do not look at any list that may have the names of these "gifted" students. I give everyone the same opportunities when delivering instruction.

3. I rejoice when my students demonstrate an innate ability to acquire and learn Spanish and I also see that it takes other students more time and practice to get where they are supposed to be. Some students are so accustomed to receiving A's that they can not accept the fact that the rigor of our accelerated program demands more effort and hard work than they are used to. As the author says, we need to change student's thinking about success and performance. We need to promote the mentality of "I can do this". We need to send the message loud and clear that success comes to those who work hard. In other words, "you reap what you sow". Praise should be given as a positive reinforcement for hard work and effort and not just for the sake of making someone happy. On the other hand, the students who are low achievers need to be convinced that they too can achieve with persistence. Never give up! There is no room for negativity.

4/8/2017 06:46:55 am

Hello Ms. Rivera,

Thanks so much for your submission. Your answer to the first question really sums it up well. Many outside of our school think that we only accept the top students. That is not true and we know it. Once a student has been accepted, no matter their strengths or weaknesses, the faculty at CC will be one of his/her greatest advocates! We want our students to be successful at everything they do!

I copied and pasted a response to #3 as a few others also went down this road and missed the meaning of the article. No matter, I will sum it up:

About the article, it was written to condemn the idea behind the growth mindset movement. Indeed, DeWitt scoffs at the ideas behind it and feels it does a disservice to the AG student. But, as I have said to many of the faculty:

"Dewitt really smacks the idea of growth mindset because it doesn't fit his experiences as an AG person/adult/advocate. His frame of reference seems to be from a "I know better about this than you" stance. But what the author doesn't realize is that, in my opinion, he is making the case *for* growth mindset. I'm not sure if he has really looked at Dweck's work or if he is just reading bits and pieces because his ideas behind a flexible mindset are really Dweck's! Dweck NEVER said effort alone will allow students to succeed, nor has she EVER said that inherent ability isn't important."

4/7/2017 10:21:49 am

3. Labels have a strong affect on people, especially students. I like the quote that is found on page 18, "If students believe that they are welcome in advanced courses and teachers expect them to do well, they are more likely to bounce back from setbacks with increased effort and persistance." Therefore, AIG labels do not hold a lot of weight with me. Some kids work great with AIG labels while others do not live up to the potential the label has given them. I do agree with the statement that "if students believe that they will, with effort and persistence, be successful in environments of challenging instructions, they are more likely to succeed." As a result, I tend to treat all of my Early College students as if they are AIG so that they will perform to my expectations.

4/8/2017 06:50:46 am

Thank you Ms. H, This is the magic of CC-- high expectations. Indeed, there is no other commonality among the faculty greater than this! A+ is not by accident!

Do you think that if more schools had a culture (a genuine culture) of high expectations student achievement would rise? I am convinced CONVINCED of this!

Again, thanks!

Cross Creek

Early College

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